Carlota Barrera SS23

A trip to Cuba in December 2021 was the starting point for Carlota Barrera’s spring/ summer 2023 collection, unveiled as part of London Fashion Week.

The life of downtown Havana, the rawness of the Malecón, the street music, the sound of domino tiles in Plaza Vieja, El Vedado, the markets, the open doors, the ‘colectivo’, the chats between balconies, Carmita, Bárbara, Giordano are some of the fragments from this collection, which brought the lifestyle of Cuban streets to a young and “communitarian” skate park in Notting Hill, where the sound of the London trains blends with the show soundtrack.

This collection was full of Cuban references, with the designers nuanced touch to create comfortable and light pieces. Natural fabrics such as cotton, lyocell or linen make their appearance, the latter proposed in three different versions; combined with silk, combined with cotton and in its purest form with fine striped prints, which reinforce that sensation of freshness and lightness. The color palette, defined by bright tones such as blue, yellow and green, are mixed with white and brown, typical of Cuban culture. Distinct design codes of the brand like the suits with cut outs reinforce the designer's commitment to tailoring. A new style stands out, a deconstructed jacket attached to the body with knotted ties, leaving the back uncovered.

Pieces such as shirts –referencing the ‘guayabera’ and its functionality– are redesigned with front chest pockets, and the already iconic tank top with cut outs is reinvented as trompe-l'œil shirts. In addition, new accessories such as scarves and handbags are introduced in this collection, pieces that continue this bridge between the country of Cuba and the brand.

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